


Symbionts

by phalangine



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-11-20 17:51:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11340402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phalangine/pseuds/phalangine
Summary: The Hawaii Five-0 AU nobody asked for.





	Symbionts

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta-ed because i'm a brash and daring individual

"It's okay if you want to date someone else."

Jim says it like he's doing Leonard a favor. As if he isn't crouched behind Leonard's desk, his hands on Leonard's knees, a stray stripe of come still painting his chin. He says it like it's a gift- the way he said he got tickets for Leonard to take his daughter to see that exclusive dolphin show.

He says it like it doesn't matter.

And Leonard is suddenly tired. He's tired of being the one Jim uses to blow off steam. He's tired of being Joss' punching bag. He's tired of it all.

"Sure thing, Jim," he says lightly, pushing his chair back. "That detective- what's her name? Santos? No, Santorini. Luisa Santorini. She's been giving me looks."

Jim's expression shutters over for a moment, but it clears a second later. He gives Leonard a convincing smile as he straightens up. Only months of working with him allow Leonard to see past the easygoing mask.

Damned if Leonard is going to be the one to pull it off. Jim is a big boy. It's about time someone held him to account.

"Luisa's a fine woman," Jim says haltingly. "I'm sure she'll be glad to have you."

With that, he ducks his head and scoots out.

Leonard waits until he hears the door shut, then drops his head onto his hands.

 

**_xx_ **

 

Two days later, Leonard fucks Jim against the wall in his office.

 

**_xx_ **

 

Leonard isn't entirely certain how he became part of California's Five-0 division. One day, he was working in his lab at UCSF, running research on a project he's long since abandoned. The next, he was analyzing the work of a medical examiner who was being accused of organ trafficking while California's most desirable bachelor sat three feet away.

They caught the guy in the end, but one week later, Five-0 was back at UCSF, asking for Leonard by name. They didn't talk about it. They just kept coming, and the checks kept passing, and one day Leonard realized he'd become the body guy for the state's most elite anti-crime squad.

Gruesome homicide the locals can't make sense of? Call Leonard. New poison? Call Leonard.

Need to get your rocks off without the risk of your partner running to the tabloids? Call Leonard.

Which leads to the second part of working with Five-0: Jim.

The start of the sex is easy to pinpoint.

It started one night after a man almost killed Jim and Leonard with a bomb. They were both wired up after Sulu took the guy out, and Uhura kept saying neither of them should be alone. So they stuck together. They drove from the hospital to Leonard's rundown apartment in the Bay, which Jim criticized no fewer than four times, then they ordered pizza and turned on some mindless, middle of the afternoon TV.

It was after the pizza that they started to crash.

Jim, Leonard remembers noticing, has very blue eyes, and his eyes crinkle when he smiles. Which he was doing at Leonard.

So Leonard kissed him. It wasn't entirely out of the blue- he and Jim have a good rhythm when they work, and there were times when Leonard would catch Jim looking at him in a way that was distinctly more than friendly.

Jim pulled away, eyes wide, then leaned in close once more and kissed him back.

That was the first and last time Leonard would be a step ahead of him.

 

**_xx_ **

 

"That's not how DNA works," Leonard sighs.

Jim nods and takes a handful of popcorn. "That man's wearing dress blues but should be wearing his whites."

"Will you two shut up?" Uhura hisses. "Some of us are trying to watch the movie!"

"I do not believe them capable," Spock says. The words come out in Spock's usual stilted way, but Leonard knows Jim's partner is groaning at them internally.

"I think a pause is in order," Chekov says with a sigh.

Sulu must agree, because a moment later, the movie pauses. "How about you guys go pretend to be doing something other than fucking?" he suggests mildly. "Chekov, Kevin, and I will finish the movie. If it's any good, you can watch it on your own."

Uhura and Spock feign ignorance.

Jim hops to his feet and grabs Leonard's hand. "You heard the man," he says happily. "Orders are orders."

"You do realize you're the team leader, don't you?" Leonard grumbles even as he gets to his feet. "Nobody outranks you, Lieutenant-Commander."

Jim tugs him over roughly. "Say that again."

"Gross," Sulu says, just loudly enough that Leonard hears him. Kevin tries to hide a laugh with a cough.

"Come on," Leonard orders, ignoring them. "Upstairs."

Jim waggles his eyebrows and dashes up the stairs to his bedroom.

Before Leonard follows, he catches Kevin's eye. Kevin gives him a wink and a thumbs up, and Leonard is reminded how fortunate he is to be working with someone with a partner as steady as Kevin.

Jim is anything but steady. But then, he isn't without his reasons.

"Bones!"

Leonard sighs and heads up the stairs, unbuttoning his shirt as he goes.

 

**_xx_ **

 

Jim is a mess. He's always something of a mess, but this is worse than usual.

His mother died a year ago today. That would be bad enough. Add to it the facts that she was in the house Jim currently lives in and that Jim was forced to hear the gunshot that killed her and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Leonard takes him by the elbow and drags him away from the rest of the team- and, crucially, the suspect he almost just killed.

"Go home, Jim," Leonard says softly.

Jim, who isn't meeting his eyes, shakes his head.

"As your friend and your coworker, I'm telling you- Jim, get out of here."

"I can't," Jim tells the horizon. "I've got to find him, Bones. This guy is the closest we have to a lead, and I can't- I have to be here. I have to see it through."

The hell of it is, Leonard knows Jim will only make a mess of his house- the place where his mother was murdered- if he goes back there. Which he will, because Jim is like a dog that can't stop licking a wound even though he's making it worse.

"I'll make you a deal, all right?"

Jim's eyes flick toward Leonard before moving away.

"You tone it down today, and you can join Jo and me tomorrow for a day at the beach. How's that sound? She's been dying to see you again."

Jim finally meets Leonard's eyes. "She has?"

"You bet she has,” Leonard tells him, not quite cajoling but not quite _not_ cajoling. “Keeps calling you Uncle Jim and asking when you're gonna teach her to surf."

Jim thinks about that for a minute, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "So you're not sending me home?"

"I'm not sending you home."

"And all I've got to do is back down a little?"

"Try a lot."

"Hmmm."

"Just say yes, and I'll blow you when we get back to HQ."

That makes Jim perk right up.

 

**_xx_ **

 

Jim finds Leonard's old, forgotten dating profile. Instead of laughing it off or insisting they go through it like by line the way Leonard had thought he would, Jim ducks his head.

"You still use it?" he asks.

"Nah." Leonard hands him a beer. "I've got my hands full already." He puts two fingers under Jim's chin and tilts it up. "You're more than enough for me."

The kiss is sweet, and for once, Jim doesn't try to make it hotter or rush them into fucking.

 

**_xx_ **

 

Leonard's lab assistant takes him hostage.

Turns out the kid's been cooking meth in his off-hours, and now he's knee deep in cartel shit.

Why he decided that putting a gun to Leonard's head was a good idea, Leonard doesn't know.

He doesn't know much of anything at the moment. All he can feel is Joe's breath on the side of his face, the hand holding his neck, and the tip of the gun pressed to his temple.

All he can see are Jim's eyes.

Joe's shouting something, Jim's eyes are getting wider, and that's when Leonard hears a bang.

The gun falls from his temple. The hand around his neck opens and drops to the floor.

Leonard turns around slowly- everything is moving slowly- and takes in the sight of Joe's body. His open eyes and gaping mouth. The gory mess of his forehead.

Standing in the doorway is Spock. He gives Leonard a sharp nod as he puts his firearm away.

"Bones?"

Leonard twists his head.

Jim is a few steps away. He looks lost in a way Leonard has never seen before. He's holding his hand out. "Come on, Bones. Let's go."

 

**_xx_ **

 

They're in the shower, standing under the spray. The last few hours feel like a dream, but that's only temporary. They'll solidify into fact soon, and when they do, Leonard will miss this dreamy, unreal state.

Until then, he's happy to lean back against Jim and let the water pound against his face.

"I almost lost you," Jim says softly, mouth pressed to Leonard's ear. It's the side opposite the one Joe spoke into. Leonard wonders if that's intentional, then decides it doesn't matter.

"'M right here," Leonard reminds him.

"You could've died."

"But I didn't."

The arms around Leonard's belly squeezes him tighter. "I didn't mean it."

"Didn't mean what?"

"That you should date other people. I don't know why I said it."

Leonard has a theory about that, but he doesn't really care right now. "We exclusive now, then?"

"We always have been- unless you found someone else?"

Leonard snorts.

"Bones..."

"No, Jim. I didn't find someone else. You're it for me."

Obviously pleased, Jim bumps their cheeks together. "Feeling's mutual." He hesitates. "Does that mean you'll stay the night? 'Cause I really don't want to leave you right now."

Smiling to himself, Leonard turns around in Jim's arms and presses a soft, gentle kiss to the side of Jim's mouth. "Just try to get rid of me."

For once, Jim finds a challenge in Leonard's words he doesn't need to meet.


End file.
